Late Night
by Lady Etiquette
Summary: A sleepy, dreamy late night for everyone at the Crawley residence. A brief ficlet-and nothing fancy. Thank you to Julian Fellowes for these lovely characters.


**A/N** This little ficlet is for mediwatchingal who had a long day, got home late and needed some fluff. :) I scribbled this in a hurry so I can't promise it's anything great, or grammatically correct...but enjoy. :)

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London 1926 – Crawley Court, Midnight

Matthew pulled the AC roadster along the backstreet alley behind the Mayfair row houses, turning in to the garage tucked behind Downton Court. Street lights lit the private access road and a layer of fog carpeted the gravel drive. Climbing out of the car, he glanced up, already feeling warmed by the inviting lights glowing from the windows and the little back porch light that Carson always kept on for his late returns. They kept the London residence for social and business purposes, but mostly just for themselves.

Downton was their estate…but Downton Court was their home.

Carson sat in his private office off the kitchen, sipping a brandy. Matthew's voice took him by surprise. "Good evening, Carson."

"Oh, good evening Mr. Crawley," he said setting the snifter down and jumping up from his chair. "I beg your pardon, sir, I didn't hear you come in!"

Matthew smiled and held a hand up. "Please, Carson, don't get up. In fact if you have another one of those handy I might join you for a quick night cap if I may to shake the chill off."

"Certainly, sir." Carson poured a second brandy and held the cut crystal snifter out gracefully.

He held the glass under his nose, breathed in and took a long sip. "Mmmm, Napoleon. Very nice indeed." He held the glass out and Carson picked his back up and they toasted with a subtle clink. They each took a seat next to the desk. Matthew liked these quiet moments with Carson. "Is Lady Mary in bed?"

"Yes, Mr. Crawley. Lady Mary retired about thirty minutes ago."

He took another sip. "She's probably cross with me for working late again."

Carson looked at him from under his thick eyebrows. "I wouldn't say Lady Mary is cross, sir, but perhaps a bit disappointed."

Matthew nodded sympathetically. "I should have been home earlier, but this legal case is quite important. It involves some matters for the palace."

Carson looked at Matthew with a gentle, understanding expression. "May I speak freely sir?"

Matthew grinned and let out a breath. "Carson, you may always speak your mind in our home without asking permission. Now what is it?"

Carson cleared his throat. "It's just that Lady Mary is quite a stoic a person, sir. But the truth is, she misses you at times and worries when you're late."

His eyebrow arched. "Really?" He was stumped. "She always told me she had plenty to keep herself busy when I'm working late."

"It's true, that Lady Mary is very well connected sir and has her committees and charities to occupy her free time. But still, on late evenings like this, sir, she worries."

"I see." Matthew sincerely hadn't thought that Mary worried. She always acted so aloof about his late evenings. "I didn't realize. She has always insisted she keeps busy and enjoys a few evenings to herself

"Yes, yes," Carson reassured him, "all that is true, sir, but the midnight hours have a tendency to cause her bit of restlessness."

Matthew's brows wrinkled in surprised awareness. "I see. I really didn't realize and I'm so grateful you told me."

"Please don't let on, Mr. Crawley. I wouldn't want Lady Mary to feel I've somehow breached her confidence or privacy."

Matthew stood up. "Your secret is safe with me, Mr. Carson." He took another sip, finishing the brandy, and set the glass down. "And thank you for the advice." He put a hand on the butler's firm shoulder. "Your impressions mean a great deal to me and I will them it to heart."

Carson stood and nodded in humble regard. "I'm at your service sir."

~~OO~~

Matthew took the steps quietly up to the third floor, his feet making soft but sturdy thumps in to the carpet. They had an elevator installed, but he preferred to climb the stairs to get the exercise. He saw the door to their room ajar and reached a hand out, tentatively pressing his fingers against it.

As the door opened, light from the hallway sliced in to the dark room. He could see Mary's silhouette under the covers. He stood for moment beside the bed, his fingers tugging at the knot of his necktie, loosening it as he smiled, happy to be home. He carefully sat in the edge of the mattress beside her, the bed dipping from his weight. He braced his hands on either side of her head and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Mary quietly stirred, making a mumbling sound. "Matthew?" She whispered.

"Yes, it's me" he mumbled against her warm skin as he peppered sift kisses around her temple and cheek. "I'm sorry I'm so late, my darling."

She sighed. "It's alright."

"No it isn't."

"I had an awful dream." Her voice was hushed and sleepy. "Something happened and you didn't come home." She slid her fingers up the length if his tie, expertly pulling open the knot he had been struggling with. The silk material slipped easily through her fingers, its shooshing sound elegant and seductive.

"Nothing could happen to me, my darling," he whispered against her lips as he placed tender kisses over her mouth. "I'm here and I'm all yours."

Her hands tugged the tie, gently pulling him closer as her mouth opened to taste him. "Mmmm, Napoleon brandy."

He chuckled in to her mouth as he slid over her….his body moving gently on top of her.

"You had a night cap with Carson." She murmured against his lips. Her hands smoothed his jacket down over his arms.

He nodded. "Yes and he dispensed a bit of advice which was quite overdue." He leaned his forehead against hers, his breaths coming in little puffs as he tried to control his breathing.

"Oh?" She asked. Her fingers pulled at the buttons of his shirt. "And what was that pray tell?"

"That one late night a month is enough." His lips brushed over hers, eliciting a soft moan from both of them.

Mary gazed up in to his eyes as he began to make love to her, his mouth and hands tantalizing her. "You know Carson. He worries about you."

He smiled against her flesh as he trailed kisses from her chin down over her throat and between her breasts. "Yes, I wouldn't want to worry him."

Her neck arched, his blond hair tickling her chin as his head moved. "No, of course not…" She lost her train of thought and nearly her consciousness under the skillful exploration of his hands, his mouth and his body.

~~00~~

Carson arranged himself in bed and pulled the covers up over his legs. He paused at the sound of someone at his door. "Is that you Mr. Crawley?" Perhaps the gentleman desired another brandy, he wondered.

The door creaked open, a small hand visible around its edge. George's blue eyes peered around the door frame, blinking at him, as he stood in his pajamas. "Are you asleep Mr. Carson?"

The butler smiled at the nocturnal behavior of a boy who was just like his mother had been at the same age. "No, Master George, I am not asleep, but you should be, young man."

George stepped carefully in to the room. "I had a bad dream. Did Daddy get home?"

"You mean did he arrive home, and yes he did." Carson held and arm out and George scurried in to his embrace.

"I couldn't sleep!" George sidled up on to the bed, tucking himself against Carson.

"It's alright." He patted the boys blond head. "I think I have just the thing." He reached over to a shelf and pulled a book out. "How about if we read a story together."

George nodded. "Oh, yes, please! Our favorite one!"

Carson leaned back against the head board, with George huddled next to him, the book opened in their laps. "Once upon a time..." Carson began reading. "There was a beautiful princess named Andromeda. Her mother had boasted about her daughter's beauty and so she was chained to a rock…"

"But Perseus comes to her rescue!" piped George excitedly.

Carson paused. "You're getting ahead of our story…."

_**Fin!**_


End file.
